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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Roger Moore is just great, as "The Saint"..., November 18, 2001
As I was introduced to "The Saint" via the 60's TV program, I will always associate Roger Moore with the character. He was absolutely perfect for the role, being the right age, and possessing the requisite class, charm, and athleticism. But beyond that, Moore had an air of irreverence that is so essential to the character. "The Saint" was never comfortable with accepting authority. Rules were for others. His life was about living on the edge, taking on all the excitement life had to offer.The character, the literary creation of Leslie Charteris, has a somewhat nebulous origin. It is said that Simon Templar, motivated by his own sense of justice, took whatever action he deemed necessary, to correct what he perceived were injustices in the world. This usually involved one of the "ungodly" being robbed, or somehow taught a lesson. Somewhere the victim would usually find a note, containing a short message warning them to learn their lesson. Instead of a signature, there would be a drawing of a stick man figure with a halo, the familiar finger pointing "Saint" logo. While Templar was suspected of committing these acts, his guilt was apparently never proved. In eluding his victims and all manner of law enforcement, he achieved a notorious reputation, and the nickname of "The Saint". "The Saint's" image was cleaned up for television, where he appeared as basically a virtuous character. While his questionable past is often alluded to, specific reference to any criminal activity was avoided. He is presented as a noble figure, to whom committing a criminal act for mere personal financial gain would be simply unthinkable. Crime must not be seen to pay. "The Saint" does not fit nicely into any particular category, blending the qualities of an adventurer, a detective, and a secret agent. Without a fixed setting, or any regular supporting cast, it falls squarely on Roger Moore to capture and hold the viewers' interest. And he comes through with flying colors, almost single handedly carrying each episode, and maintaining the continuity of the character, no matter what the location, or the situation he finds himself in. This is actually quite an achievement, and one that is easy to overlook, because Moore does it so smoothly. DVD Sets 1 and 2 contain the program's first color episodes, supposedly presented in the order they were originally broadcast. These collections are a good representation of typical "Saintly" adventures. We find Simon Templar cavorting throughout Europe, and also appearing in Latin America. Being such an adaptable fellow, he becomes involved in adventure in a variety of ways. Part of the fun, is trying to figure out exactly what kind of trouble old Simon has gotten himself into this time. Favorite episodes from Set 1, are "The Russian Prisoner", with Simon involved in intrigue with the KGB, and "The Convenient Monster", where "Nessie" figures in the conclusion of a story of involving murder and deception. The best from Set 2, would be "Paper Chase" featuring "The Saint" on a rescue mission in East Germany, and "Locate and Destroy", probably the most violent episode in the collection, with Simon on the trail of a ruthless ex-Nazi. If you are not familiar with this series, you may not find it to be your cup of tea, for "The Saint", like "The Avengers", is something of an acquired taste. If you are a fan, then these sets should be part of your collection, with Set 2 grading out a bit ahead of Set 1. While they may not the best "Saint" episodes, they are the first available on DVD. Picture quality is excellent, colors are true to the original quality, and the images are sharp. A TV series set in a different location each week presents special challenges, and production values are pretty good considering this. The difference between location and studio shots are obvious, but typical for the times. The audio level however, could stand to be cranked up a bit, to match the music level. One negative is the lack of substantial bonus materials. No printed matter, not even a booklet with a detailed series retrospective. All you get are episode previews, and a few stills. Not much, considering the premium price. This is basically the same minimalist treatment given to "The Avengers". Lacking extensive bonus material, I wish A&E would maximize the medium and package at least four episodes per disc, instead of just three. The studios should remember that the predominant audience for these collections, are the dedicated fans of the program. This is often a niche market, and the faithful really do deserve their best effort. Finally, one oddity is that actor Ivor Dean, who was wonderful as "Inspector Teal", is listed as being part of the "regular cast" on both sets, but does not appear in any of the 12 episodes. Hopefully we will actually see "Claude Eustace" in future releases.
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DVD ~ Roger Moore
DVD ~ Roger Moore
DVD ~ Roger Moore
DVD ~ Roger Moore
DVD ~ Roger Moore
DVD ~ Roger Moore
DVD ~ Roger Moore
DVD ~ Roger Moore
DVD ~ Roger Moore
